


Never the Same

by TheAnimeNerd17



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anger, Arson, Background Relationships, Backstory, Bartender Eren Yeager, Birthday, Candy Canes, Cell Phones, Christmas, College, Drunk Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Drunkenness, Embarrassment, Explicit Language, Fire, Fluff, Friendship, Gang Violence, Gangs, Heavy Drinking, Implied/Referenced Blow Jobs, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Underage Prostitution, Journalism, Journalist Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Loneliness, M/M, Minor Character Death, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Science Experiments, Sexuality, Strangers, Swearing, Tension, Titans, Understanding, Violence, pity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2018-09-12 06:13:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9059047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAnimeNerd17/pseuds/TheAnimeNerd17
Summary: Downing whiskey is the only way Levi Ackerman knows how to spend his birthday.  He’s done it for years now.  Alone and with nothing better to do, Levi decides to wallow in self pity at a bar, accompanied only by the cute new bartender, Eren Yeager.  Will his drunken nights ever end, or will a certain someone change the ritual?*Also on Wattpad under TheAnimeNerd17*





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this first chapter is a bit short (for me, anyway). The upcoming chapters will be longer if I can help it. Happy Holidays to all and Happy Birthday to Levi!

Snow fluttered through the air and landed in raven-colored hair and lashes. Levi growled and shook his head to rid himself of the white dusting. He shoved his hands into his pockets and picked up his pace, head down to bury his face inside his warm blue scarf. His boots thumped lightly against the sidewalk as he approached his apartment. When he arrived, he slammed the door shut and ripped his winter clothing off.

“Merry fucking Christmas! Tch!” he griped, stalking through his apartment to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and set out a glass to pour himself an unhealthy serving of vodka. All of the whiskey was gone, to Levi’s dismay. He backed all of the liquor easily. He glared at the empty bottle with vengeance. “Damn it… happy birthday to me…”

He slumped against the counter for countless minutes on end. The silence stretched far in his spacious home, emphasizing how empty it all was. But, the apartment was just how Levi liked it, clean, untouched, ordered… alone. Levi twitched at the stray thought. He enjoyed being alone. Other people were too… too bothersome. Too personal. No, Levi enjoyed his fair share of solitude. Levi blinked in recoil.

“Oh, fuck it, why not?” He pushed himself from the counter and dressed for the cold once again. He grabbed his coat and wallet before marching out the door and into the cold once again. Levi walked to his favorite bar down the street and entered. He greeted the hostess, Krista, and walked straight up to the bar. His usual bartender, Mikasa, was busy tending to a blonde kid. Probably this “Armin” she spoke about so often. A pair of tan fingers snapped in Levi’s face, breaking his train of thoughts. It was the bartender.

“Can I help you, sir?” the brunette asked, raising a brow. His sea green eyes bored right into Levi’s steel ones.

“Get me a large glass of whiskey,” Levi ordered, waving the younger man off. He must be the newbie Mikasa mentioned last time. The brunette nodded and walked off to prepare the drink. Levi watched his swift movements. They were a bit clumsy, but they were effective enough. When the bartender returned, Levi tched. “Took you long enough, brat.”

The bartender’s eyes narrowed to slits. “I have a name, you know.” He pointed to his name-tag reading ‘Eren Yeager’.

Levi shrugged. “Whatever. I officially dub you as brat. Looks like you’ll have to deal with it.” He backed most of the whiskey in a single gulp. Eren rolled his eyes and stalked off to tend to other customers in the meantime. Levi snorted. The dumb kid never even carded him. That was bound to get him in trouble. The raven-haired man went back to his alcohol, picking the glass up by the rim and downing the rest of it. He slammed it on the counter as an order for another. Eren returned a minute later with a refill. The cycle continued for a while, giving Levi’s mind a chance to drift in the surprisingly noisy bar. Not many people usually came out on Christmas to socialize in this bar, however several families and groups drank and ate happily together. They made Levi sick with their smiles and boisterous laughter. People were too much work when they wormed their way into your heart. Levi tossed back another glass of whiskey. He wiped the back of his hand over his mouth and tapped the glass on the counter. He kicked back and scoffed. He preferred being all by himself anyway. Sure it would be nice if someone noticed him enough to wish him a happy birthday. Not even his co-worker Hange or boss Erwin had told him much of anything besides Merry Christmas.

“Brat! I said bring me another!” Levi smacked his hand on the bar, scowling angrily. It was a miracle he didn’t shatter the empty glass. 

Eren came over with a stubborn look. “Sorry, sir, but I cannot serve you anymore. You are beginning to look inebriated. I would be doing a poor job if I allowed you to continue.”

Levi scoffed and waved Mikasa over. He knew she would serve him no matter how drunk he became. “The kid won’t serve me,” he complained. Mikasa nodded and went off to get him another drink. Eren gaped after her before retreating to other customers for the rest of the night.

For the remainder of his birthday, Levi continued downing round after round of strong liquor until Mikasa told him there simply was no more she could sell to him. He sat there for an hour, wallowing in all his loneliness and cursing the rest of the world. When he finished, he stood and caught the counter. The world took its revenge by spinning for him, making him sway like grass in the breeze. It was pitch black outside and everyone had left by that point, everyone but the new brat, who was left to close up. Levi staggered over to him with a hand on his hip.

“Who do you think you are, babysitting me?” he slurred.

Eren paused in his cleaning to cringe. Levi reeked heavily of alcohol. “You’re drunk, sir.”

“No shit, Sherlock! I’m so wasted, I’d even take you home for a good time,” Levi snorted and held his stomach.

Eren’s eyes widened and his muscles tensed. “No, thank you. I don’t do hook-ups.” He began cleaning again, wiping off the bar. He walked away quickly to begin wiping down tables. Levi tried to follow, but he tripped over one of the bar stools. His face hit the floor with a thunk. Eren winced, his heart reaching out to the poor man, alone on Christmas. He made his way over to pick Levi up from the ground.

“Sir, what is your address? I will call you a cab,” Eren explained, waving his hand in front of Levi’s glazed eyes. No answer. Eren sighed and rubbed his face. Levi slumped against him with a loud snore. Eren grimaced. “Great.” He pulled out his keys and locked the front door while he balanced Levi bridal style in his arms. He carried the smaller man out to his car, laying him in the backseat.

“I don’t get paid enough for this,” he muttered. “But I can’t just leave you there. Must be your Christmas miracle.”

Eren popped the keys into the ignition of his car and drove off to his own apartment. He parked and hefted Levi over his shoulder. “You are going to have a terrible hangover in the morning… hopefully you’ll learn what I was trying to tell you: that whiskey is not a good drink for endless rounds. It’ll throttle you,” he muttered to the unconscious man. He carried him to the bedroom and laid him in the bed. He left to go prepare his own bed, plopping down and falling right asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos if you enjoyed (or comment if I've made mistakes/need improvement)! Thanks so much for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo another chapter! And this one is longer! Hope you enjoy!

Levi awoke to a pounding in his head and a strange scent invading his nostrils. It was rather pleasant, musky yet soft. He pushed himself up and regretted it immediately.

“Fucking hell…” He rubbed his temples, eyes clenched shut. When the pain passed, he opened his eyes. His nose wrinkled as his eyes passed over the boxes littering the floor and clothes lying strewn about. “How disgusting.” Levi brushed off his clothes to straighten them. His brows shot up. Why was he still clothed? “I guess… I didn’t have a one-night stand?” He stood and sniffed, unable to deny the small burst of relief he felt. The distinct smell of pancakes filled his nose and made his mouth water, so he obeyed his stomach’s growling.

Eren stood in front of a griddle, tending to the pancakes. He hummed softly to the song stuck in his head. His head bobbed side to side, and his spatula served as a twirling baton. Levi walked in and rubbed his eyes. He cleared his throat, startling the poor brunette.

“O-Oh! You’re awake! Sorry, I meant to have this done sooner,” Eren rubbed the back of his neck. “If you’ll take a seat, I’ll explain why you’re in my house.”

Levi rolled his eyes, but he took a seat nonetheless. “Alright, brat. Why the fuck did you kidnap me? Five seconds before I beat your ass over your head.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

Eren paled for a second before his eyes hardened. “I didn’t kidnap you, first of all. I gave you a place to stay because you were too drunk off your ass to get home.” He slammed his spatula down on the countertop. “You passed out before you could tell me where you lived. I WANTED to call you a cab, but like I said, you were wasted.”

“Oh? Huh…” Levi folded his right leg over his left one. He stared at the pancakes sizzling on the griddle. He couldn’t really remember much, so he supposed the kid wasn’t lying.

“What? No ‘thank you’? You, sir, are a piece of work,” Eren scoffed, picking his spatula up and flipping the pancakes. He wandered to the fridge and filled up a large glass of water. He set it in front of Levi. “Drink up. No doubt you have a terrible hangover.”

Levi shrugged and sipped the water. “Since when do bartenders take drunk patrons home?” he asked, eyes studying the younger man.

“Since never. I was just being a good person. God knows we need more good people in the world,” Eren mumbled as he flipped pancakes onto two separate plates. “I can drop you off at your house on my way to work.”

“You can just take me to the bar. I can walk from there.” Levi waved his hand in the air. 

Eren shrugged and set Levi’s pancakes in front of him, setting the bottle of syrup down next to the plate. “Whatever. It’s fucking freezing, so have fun with that. Your things are in my car. You managed to squirm out of them while I drove home.”

Levi sighed and took another sip of water. He glared at the pancakes as though they were poisoned. Only when Eren started eating did he start to eat. A pang of guilt settled into him all of a sudden. Here Eren was, standing in his own kitchen because Levi occupied the only chair. In fact, the apartment looked rather small and empty… Levi’s eyes widened. “Hey brat, where did you sleep last night?”

“Hm?” Eren looked up from his pancakes drowning in syrup. “Oh, I slept on the pull-out bed.” He pointed to the living area where the messy bed was pulled from the couch.

Levi cringed. “So that was your room I was in?”

“Yes…?”

“It was filthy,” Levi said blandly. He couldn’t bring himself to apologize for stealing Eren’s bed. The mess was too fresh in his mind.

Eren’s eye twitched. “Well, I did just move in two days ago, so sorry the mess displeases you,” he gritted his teeth.

“You should clean that soon, brat.”

Eren’s scowl deepened. “My name is Eren. Not brat.”

Levi rolled his eyes. “I didn’t ask, so I honestly don’t care.” He regretted his words the instant they escaped his mouth when he saw how Eren’s eyes drooped from the inside out. Such pretty eyes should never look so sad… wait, what?

Eren whipped around and pushed his plate into the sink with a loud clatter. “We’ll leave in five minutes,” he said before he walked back to his bedroom to change.

Levi swallowed his mouthful, staring at his empty plate. Silently, he stood and rinsed his dish, placing it and Eren’s in the open dishwasher. He walked to the front door and stood with his hands in his pockets. He had really fucked up and struck a nerve with Eren. When Eren came back out, he couldn’t stop his harsh words. “Took you fucking long enough.”

“You’re a fucking asshole, you know that? I should have left your drunk ass in the fucking bar,” Eren hissed, grabbing his coat and putting it on before he whipped the door open.

Levi hummed at the behavior. The brat was a feisty one, that was for sure. He crossed his arms and followed Eren to his car. He slipped into the passenger’s seat, jumping when Eren slammed his door closed. The car ride was completely silent save for the angry buzz of the engine. Levi didn’t dare to touch the radio. The dial was too close to Eren, and Levi preferred to keep all of his fingers. Eren pulled into the bar parking lot and parked his car. He exhaled and ran a hand over his face

“Well? Are you going to unlock the doors and get out?” Levi asked.

Eren’s jaw clenched and his sea green eyes turned to slits. “Get the FUCK out of my car.” He jammed his finger into the unlock button. Levi wasted no time in getting out and walking home. Eren called after him, but Levi kept walking. He reached his apartment in record time and dug around for his keys in his pocket. He searched and searched with no luck. He turned and pressed his back to his door and sunk to the ground.

“Life’s a piece of shit.”

 

~~~ Eren’s POV ~~~

 

“He was terrible, Mikasa! How do you even stand to talk to him whenever he comes in here?” Eren ranted, pacing the staff room.

Mikasa rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall. “That’s why I just serve him until he leaves. If you ignore him long enough, he just leaves. You paid him too much attention,” she said.

Eren shook his head. “You can’t just ignore him until he gets so drunk he walks into traffic or something! But I just can’t believe he was so rude! And he left his shit in my car!” Eren held up the coat and keys in his hand. “I refuse to see him again.”

“Well, looks like you’re out of luck. He’ll probably be back soon if you have his keys.” Mikasa shrugged.

“Can’t you give them to him? He likes you enough not to be totally rude,” Eren pleaded. Mikasa only shook her head and told him it was his job, not hers. Eren huffed and began pacing again, cursing under his breath.

“Hey, you two! Get out here! Customers!” Ymir barged right through the door. “Krista told me to tell you to get your asses to work!”

“I did not!” Krista walked in behind her, nudging Ymir, who only snickered under her breath. “Eren, Mikasa, there are a few customers out there that need served.”

Eren gave Krista a mock salute and walked out to the bar, Mikasa on his heels. He glanced around the bar in search of the mystery patron. He never had caught his name, not even from Mikasa. Surprisingly, the raven-haired shorty was nowhere in sight. Eren shrugged to himself and started working on drink orders. He wondered why the ravenette hadn’t come back for his things. He left his coat, keys, and wallet, so surely he needed to come back for them. Eren growled under his breath.

‘Focus Eren, focus on mixing these drinks. You don’t need Jean coming in and bragging about how incompetent you are again,’ he thought to himself. A shudder ran up his spine. Jean’s cocky horseface was the one thing that could spur him to do anything. Eren set the finished drinks on a tray and served his customers. He focused completely on his work, ignoring Jean when he came in around lunchtime. Afternoon swiftly turned to evening, the time for Eren to really interact and enjoy the company of his customers. Nothing could ruin his rhythm today… until that fucking shorty walked right back in through the doors of his bar.

 

~~~Levi’s POV~~~

 

Levi ran his hands over his face as he sat in his hallway, cursing the world under his breath. He lolled his head back to bang against the door over and over. All of a sudden, it dawned on him. He pulled his phone out of his back pocket - thankfully, it was still there - and dialed Hange’s number. After three rings, she answered.

“Levi! You actually called me! How are you?” she yelled through the receiver.

Levi winced and hissed, his hangover still bothering him. “Jesus Christ, shitty glasses, shut the fuck up for once. I need to borrow your lock-picking skills… I would do it, but I have nothing on me to do it with,” he explained.

“OH!!! You’re asking for MY help?!?! I’ll be there in a few!” Hange squealed before hanging up. Levi ended the call and rubbed his temples. What hell had he just gotten himself into? Sure, he could just go back to the bar and ask the bratty bartender for his shit back, but it was fucking freezing outside! And Levi didn’t have his favorite coat! He passed the time by scowling at his hands, certain they were dirty. He needed a nice long shower to wash the filth from his body.

Thankfully, Hange came in record time, even for her. She held up a paperclip and started picking at the lock. Within a few seconds, the lock clicked, and the door swung open. Levi stood and dusted himself off. He brushed by Hange to head straight for the bathroom. Hange adjusted her glasses and followed him.

“Levi! You wait right there! I require compensation for my services!” she called, arms crossed.

Levi stopped in his tracks, expression darkening. “What do you want, shitty glasses?” he hissed through his teeth.

“I want you to come out and party with me tonight!”

Levi’s eyes widened as he turned to face her. “What part of the word ‘hangover’ do you not understand?”

“Oh, you know you want to! You love going out for a good drink, even if people are with you. Come on, let that be my late Christmas present from you.” Hange fluttered her eyelashes.

Levi’s eye twitched. Hange didn’t even remember his birthday, not that she ever did before. His jaw clenched, and he resisted the urge to grind his teeth. The call of blissful alcohol, however, was too powerful. “Fine.” He snapped his fingers and pointed at the door. “Pick me up around seven. Bring your car. I lost my coat, but I will be picking it up. Now leave.”

Hange nodded and left the apartment quickly, leaving Levi to his own devices. Levi peeled his shirt and pants off as quickly as he could. He withheld a gag from the smell of whiskey on himself and his clothes.

“Fucking awful,” he grumbled, throwing the dirty clothes into the hamper. He entered the shower and started up the water. He rested his hand against the tile of the shower as the water poured down him. He ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. “Shit…” he muttered, beginning to scrub his skin and hair thoroughly. Cleanliness was key. When he finished, he toweled dry and wrapped the towel low on his hips. Levi opened the door to enter his bedroom, but he stopped in his tracks. Hange sat on his bed.

“Hey Levi! You must have taken a long shower! It’s nearly seven!” she chattered.

Levi narrowed his eyes at her. If looks could kill… “Get. OUT.”

Hange sprung to her feet and ran out into the living room. Levi huffed and dressed himself in casual jeans and a grey t-shirt. In a few minutes, he came into the living room. “Let’s go, shitty glasses.”

“Ohh~ Levi, you look hot! That shirt looks good on you, showing off your muscles. Trying to impress someone?” Hange teased, slinging her purse onto her shoulder.

“Shut the fuck up,” Levi growled, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Let’s just go. We are going to that bar down the street.”

“Okay!” Hange skipped after him to her car. She blabbed the entire car ride there; she informed Levi about work, her life, and everything else that Levi couldn’t care less about. When they arrived, he rubbed his arms to ward off the bite of the December wind. He marched right into the bar, only to come face to face with the sea green eyes he had hoped to avoid for much longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment and kudos! Let me know how I'm doing!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter before the New Year! Also, happy belated birthday to Bertolt Hoover, it was apparently yesterday. I missed it... oops. There are some - uh - inappropriate blowjob references in this chapter. Sorry, not sorry. This is mature for a reason. Hope you enjoy! Happy New Year everyone!

Eren blanched the moment his eyes locked on Levi’s steely ones. “Fuck…” he cursed under his breath. He jolted when he was nudged from behind.

“Come on, Yeager! Get a move on!” Jean yelled, serving his customers. Not wanting to be outdone, Eren returned to his drink-making, ignoring the mystery man at the front door. He could talk to the man later. Now, he had customers to impress.

Hange dragged Levi to a booth in the corner. “Here is a good place to sit!”

“Sure…” Levi sighed, dragging his eyes away from the bartender brat. He picked up a menu and looked it over. His mouth watered as he looked over the list of drinks. Vodkas, whiskeys, and beers galore, all he could drink. Half of the cocktails were Christmas themed, but that only spurred Levi to want more to drink.

Ymir sauntered back to the table, notepad and pen in hand. “Can I take your order?” she asked.

“I’ll take a martini and a water. I don’t know what I want to eat yet,” Hange said.

Levi scowled. “I’ll take an Old Fashioned,” he requested after a moment. Ymir wrote it down and left them.

“So why were you locked out of your apartment, Levi? And why did you want to come here to get your coat?” Hange asked. Damn glasses, listening too well.

“None of your business. I’ll tell you later,” Levi growled and crossed his arms. Hange sighed and slumped. It would be a long night.

Eren grabbed the order from Ymir before Jean even had a chance. He smirked at the two-toned horseface. “Ha! Loser.” He started working on the drinks. He was still a little slower than experts like Mikasa, but he was steadily improving. His people skills were revered among his new coworkers. He made the martini and the Old Fashioned, placing the glass of water on the tray last. He whistled for Ymir to take the tray. He watched to see where she took the order, but his cheeks paled. Levi took the Old Fashioned from the tray and nearly downed it in a single sip. Ymir gave Hange her martini and water before walking behind the bar purely to annoy Krista’s perfectionist system.

“Hey, Ymir?” Eren tugged at her sleeve, earning a glare.

“What?”

“Can I serve that table?” he asked. Ymir only gave him a quizzical look. Eren NEVER served tables; he only worked the bar. He stood his ground and jutted his lower lip out. “Please?”

“Fine,” Ymir sighed. “I don’t know what your ploy is, Yeager, but you can take that table. You have to do something for me though.”

Eren raised a brow. “What?” He didn’t like the glint in Ymir’s eyes.

“Later tonight during the music hour, you have to eat a candy cane.”

Eren tipped his head to the side. “That’s it? Deal!”

“You didn’t let me finish… you have to eat a candy cane in the most sexual way possible. Suck it,” Ymir snickered. 

Eren’s cheeks flooded red. “Ymir! I won’t do that!”

Ymir shrugged. “Then I guess I’ll let Jean serve the table from now on.”

Eren clenched his jaw and balled his fists. “Fine,” he spat. “I’ll do it. Pervert.” Ymir nodded and handed him the tab for the table. Eren took a deep breath. Just what had he done? All for that black-haired midget… After taking a moment to collect himself, he marched over to the table. He could feel the daggers the mystery man was sending him.

“How is everything? My coworker had to attend to other matters, so I will be serving you. My name is Eren. May I see your ID?” Eren asked politely, smile plastered to his face.

Hange squealed. “Oh Eren, you’re so cute! Of course you may see my ID!” She dug in her purse and pulled out her ID. Levi paled. The damn kid remembered this time, the sneaky bastard!

“Oi, kid, you’ve seen me before. You don’t need to see my ID,” Levi said. Hange raised a brow, but stayed silent. Eren turned his piercing eyes to the ravenette.

“I’m sorry, sir, but if you do not have ID, I cannot serve you. It’s the law.” Eren took Levi’s drink from the table. Levi stood, a dark aura surrounding him. Eren refused to be intimidated.

“Give me my fucking drink back. You know I’m of age!” Levi growled.

“Sorry, no can do. Maybe next time, you’ll keep track of your personal belongings.” Eren smiled sickly sweet. Levi snatched his shirt and brought him in close. Eren steeled himself for a punch, but it never came. In a flash, Mikasa ripped him from the smaller man’s grip, her eye like ice.

“Leave him alone. He’s only doing his job. It’s your fault you lost your ID,” she said. She walked back behind the bar with Eren, who glanced back victoriously only once.

“What the hell was that about, Levi?” Hange asked.

“If I tell you, will you promise to not say a fucking word?” Levi ran a hand over his face. When Hange nodded, he began to tell her all that happened the day before. At the end, Hange broke down into laughter.

“Ha! Y-You left your s-stuff in his car! Oh, you’re fucked, my vertically challenged friend!”

Levi scowled at her. “If I had a knife, I’d stab your eyes out, shitty glasses. But yes… and now the brat is pissed at me,” he huffed.

 

“Apologize. Maybe he’ll smile for you. I know you saw those big, beautiful eyes.” Hange winked.

“Like hell, I’m apologizing. Fuck off. He’s a young brat, nothing more than a pup. Leave my love life out of this,” Levi said.

“Oh, come on, Levi! You have no love life! And the age difference can’t be that bad. You’re twenty-nine, he’s at least twenty-one to be working in this bar. Not that big of a gap if you ask me… oh look, you’re actually blushing!” Hange cackled.

Levi turned away to hide the faint coloring of his cheeks. “Fuck you, Hange. I’m not interested.”

“Who knows? Maybe he has some interesting life story you could report. You can’t deny, his eyes certainly provoke your inner journalist. What makes Eren’s eyes so perfectly sea green?” Hange said.

“Shut up! If you shut up, I guess I’ll go apologize… but no promises it will go well.” Levi pointed his finger in the air. Hange nodded to seal the deal. Before he could stand, music thumped through the bar.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Eren stood on a chair by the bar. “The next hour is music hour! The lights will be dimmed and music will be pulsing. Dance until you drop, drink to drop faster. Are you ready?!” The crowd cheered an excited agreement. “Then let’s get this party started!” Krista flipped the switch so the only source of light was the disco-like swivel and strobe lights. People started bouncing and dancing in a hot cluster. Levi turned his nose up. 

Hange giggled. “Looks like you have to fight for your man, Levi,” she teased. Levi scowled and started to weave through disgusting, sweaty bodies.

Behind the bar, Eren bobbed his head with the beat, twisting around as he made drinks. Mikasa sneaked Armin behind the bar to dance with them, the three amigos back together again. Ymir gave Eren a meaningful look. While she spray water onto some dancers, Eren brought out a box of candy canes. Sasha came out from the kitchen and begged to join. Eren started handing out the minty treats to several bartenders and staff members: Sasha Blouse, Connie Springer, Jean Kirstein, Marco Bott, Armin Arlert, and even Krista Lenz. Mikasa handed slips of paper out the the partiers.

“All of you are going to vote on who eats their candy cane the best! Whether it’s sexy, silly, or plain stupid, you choose. Popular vote wins!” Mikasa explained. “Ready contestants?” The group sat on the bar and nodded. “Go!” They ripped their candy canes open and began eating. Sasha just munched straight through and finished in a few seconds, while the others tried to make more of a show out of it. Eren’s ears burned red as he stuck his tongue out and ran it up the length of the candy cane. He closed his eyes halfway to complete the effect. Some patrons whistled at his display, and Eren felt confidence surge through him. He closed his lips around the base of the candy cane and sucked, pulling off slowly. He continued his ministrations, opening his eyes to stare at the people he was entertaining. His eyes glowed like a predator cornering its prey. That lustful gaze swept over everyone until they locked on silver orbs. Those grey eyes held his, the face they were set in flushing like a rose.

Levi blinked and swallowed. Eren was staring right at him as he sucked off the candy cane. The brat’s lips were stained a light red, and they glistened with saliva. Levi felt a tug in his chest to devour those lips with his own… wait what? He shook his head and watching Eren’s tongue sweep up the candy cane and coil around it. The raven-haired man felt a low growl erupt in his throat, but he quickly cut him off. He ran a hand through his hair as he approached the younger man.

“This brat is going to be the death of me,” he muttered to himself. He stepped right up to the bar and held his hands on his hips. Eren glanced down at him and raised a brow, lips closed around the mint candy.

Levi groaned in irritation. “Did it cum yet, or are you still blowing it?” he asked blandly, monotone coming back out.

Eren’s eyes went wide as he popped the candy cane from his mouth. “Hey! It’s not like that! It was a game, no need to be so vulgar.”

“It’s kind of hard not to be when you’re sitting there, deep throating the fucking thing,” Levi retorted. “You look like you’ve practiced that move.”

Eren crinkled his nose. “So what if I do? At least I’m getting some; I’m not ashamed. You act like you haven’t been laid in years.”

Levi’s eye twitched. “You’re one to talk. You’re probably still a little virgin.”

“Why do you care so much? Is this your way of flirting? Are you drunk? Or both? You must be with the way you stared at me a while ago,” Eren said. “Are you even gay or is this the alcohol talking? Who served you?”

Levi gritted his teeth and poked his finger into Eren’s chest. “Listen here, brat, my sexuality is not your business. Even if I would tell you, I’m not into children like you. I’m not drunk. I was going to apologize, but your sorry ass can kiss that goodbye,” he hissed.

Eren’s eyes softened, dropping his cocky attitude. He set his candy cane to the side. “No, please. I’ll keep quiet, go on. If you apologize, I will too.”

Levi narrowed his eyes at Eren before sighing. “Fine… I apologize for my behavior yesterday. You only tried to help, and I was ungrateful.”

Eren’s face broke into a smile. “I forgive you. And I apologize as well for being a stubborn asshole. I need to learn to control my temper.”

Levi nodded and held out his hand. “I suppose I should properly introduce myself. My name is Levi Ackerman.”

Eren shook his offered hand firmly. The mystery patron had a name! Levi… how nice. “I’m Eren Yeager. Nice to meet you, Levi.”

The corners of Levi’s lips quirked up slightly. “I guess it’s nice to meet you. Now, can I have my shit back?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the support so far! Comments and kudos give me life!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I managed to pump out another update... not much happens, but hopefully you all still enjoy! Let me know if there are any edits I need to make, I did not edit this!

Eren broke out into gut-bursting laughter, wiping at his eyes. “Yeah, you can. Right this way,” he walked back towards the staff room. Levi followed without a word. The silence was… oddly pleasant. Levi supposed Eren wasn’t too bad, but that opinion probably came from being so close to getting his belongings back. Eren pushed the staff room open and held it for Levi. Levi smirked to himself. A polite little brat, how cute! Levi’s brows furrowed. What was with all these thoughts about Eren being cute? It was weird… 

Eren waved his hand in front of Levi’s face, watching the silver eyes blink and focus on him. “Earth to Levi! You zoned out on me there. Where did your mind go?” he chuckled softly.

Certainly not to how adorable Eren’s smile was. Nope, Levi would never admit that he had been thinking that. “Nothing. Just that I can’t wait to get my ID back and shove it in your punk ass face.”

Eren rolled his eyes and opened up his locker. He pulled out Levi’s belongings and handed them to the emotionally constipated shorty. 

Levi pocketed his wallet and slipped his coat on. “Thanks, brat.”

“No problem. So who are you here with? Was that woman your date?” Eren asked curiously. For some reason, he felt rather fond of the raven-haired man. Not that he was endearing by any means! No, Eren found his various expressions amusing. Levi tried so hard to keep his scowl of disgust on his face. Eren loved to pursue challenges. First it had been joining the highest rank in the military, which he had actually failed to enter because of freak medical disqualifications. He hated talking about it; it was a sensitive topic. Paying for college was hard enough, but without the support from the military he so desired, debt became Eren’s worst enemy. Even more so than Horseface. Thus why he was here serving as a bartender.

Levi’s face screwed up into the most disgusted look Eren had ever seen. “FUCK NO!” the raven yelled. “Four-eyes out there is NOT my date and never will be.”

Eren held his hands up in surrender. “Okay then, I get it. She isn’t your date. Gotcha.” He laughed softly under his breath.

Levi scowled at the snickering teenager. “What? Is this funny to you? Do you find some sick pleasure in my lack of relationship with shitty glasses out there? Tch, brat.” He crossed his arms over his chest and sneered.

“Oh come on, Levi, you have to admit, your reaction was priceless. Are you a professional insulter? Like do people pay you to hear the insulting things flying from your mouth?” Eren asked with a smile. “I have to admit, I don’t see the appeal, but hey, your work is your work.”

Levi tched and rolled his eyes. “No that’s not my job, shitty brat. I’m an investigative journalist. The insults are complementary.” He smirked at his own joke. He was rather proud of his ability to insult on the fly. He had taught himself how. Investigative journalism, however, was his true calling.

“What’s investigative journalism?” Eren asked.

“I get to the bottom of shit. Report on murders and dig into the nitty-gritty details to lead the police or FBI or some shit to the killer. It’s dangerous, but it pays well. And I’m good at it,” Levi answered, his chest puffing up slightly. A muscle in his forehead twitched when Eren deflated and withdrew into himself. What the hell was wrong with the kid? “Is something the matter, brat? Don’t tell me you’re scared now or some shit.”

Eren swallowed thickly, his throat as dry as the desert. “I’m not scared,” he blurted, hands balling into fists. “Whatever floats your boat.”

Levi couldn’t get a read on Eren’s odd reaction. Was being an investigative journalist really that bad? He had no clue, but he wasn’t blind to see that it would be best if he left. “Alright, well, take it easy, brat. And no more mouth-fucking candy canes. People could take that shit the wrong way.” He took his things and left to go find Hange to take him home.

 

~~~Eren’s POV~~~

 

Eren ran a hand through his hair with a deep sigh. That didn’t go quite as planned. If only he had better control over his reactions and emotions, he would have been fine, but why did Levi have to report on… that? It brought up too many bad childhood memories, too much inner rage that Eren had tried too hard to put behind him. He had grown up and tried to heal, but scars were easy to reopen.

“Suicidal bastard? Get the hell back out there, we have customers to serve!” Jean pushed the door open. Eren glared, but inside he was glad the horseface offered him a distraction from his current train of thought. He flipped Jean the finger as he reentered the bar and lost himself in his work. 

The night passed quickly in a blur of mixing and a few shots, all dares by Jean. Why not indulge? It was the day after Christmas after all! At the end of the night, Eren escaped before Krista, meaning the small blonde had to close up the bar. He warmed up in his car and drove home for a nice night to himself, free of thoughts about Levi’s job, but not free of thoughts of the man himself. Levi’s low voice made his heart pound in his chest and his glares were fucking adorable.

“No, Eren,” he told himself, “You can’t crush on customers. Plus he’s a drunkard. A rude drunkard. Why do the hot ones have something wrong with their personality? Ugh…” He parked outside his apartment and let his head fall against the steering wheel. “I’m so fucked… stupid Eren.”

He got out of his car and rushed to the sanction of his toasty home. After taking off his shoes and winter coat, he hopped in the shower and dressed in his pajamas. Netflix marathon it was! Eren curled up with a fluffy blanket and munched on some chips. Episode after episode of his favorite show played, weighing down his eyes. Before long, Eren’s eyes stayed shut as he drifted off with only his thoughts to entertain him.

 

~~~Levi’s POV~~~

 

Levi’s eyes snapped open from his slumber. What the fuck could that noise be at this time of night? Of course, he tried to get some sleep, but the universe had it out for him. He rubbed his bloodshot eyes and glared at the clock. Fucking three in the morning. Three in the morning! Levi sat up and looked around for the source of the sound. His phone illuminated from its spot on his nightstand and vibrated against the wood, its ring piercing the air. He checked the caller ID. Fucking shitty four-eyes.

“What the possible fuck could you want right now?” he snarled.

“Levi, thank God, you need to report to this address! There’s a fire that popped up and the police need us to investigate it once the fire department is done. I’m sending you the address,” Hange said.

“Fuck you, I’m sleeping. You go.” Levi started getting comfy again in his bed.

“I need another person! Ever since that incident with Petra, Erwin won’t let anyone go alone. You’re the only one I can call! Moblit’s asleep, no doubt, and Oluo and Eld are staying with Petra in the hospital, and Gunther handed in his resignation the other day. Mike and Nanaba are on their honeymoon. You’re the only one left I can call! Please!” Hange begged.

Levi groaned in protest. “You’re lucky I finished my most recent case. Otherwise, you’d be swimming straight up shit creek.” He kicked off his warm blankets to get dressed. “Send me the address.” He hung up. His phone dinged once more with the address. Levi shook his head as he buttoned up his shirt. Hange always managed to drag him into the craziest of shit. He didn’t want another team member hurt, though. Petra’s assault had taken a toll on everyone. She had gotten too close to a lead that could convict a member of the most notorious gang in the city, the Titans. She had gone out alone and had been captured and tortured by the gang. She had been found in the park, lying bloody and unconscious against a tree. She was lucky to escape with her life. Needless to say, the culprits were never found, and Petra was still in a coma in the hospital. Levi got chills every time he thought about it. Petra was so young and cheerful. Snuffing out a person like that was a cruelty that disgusted Levi. If the Feds hadn’t demanded that the Scout Investigative Journalism Agency, also known as the Scouts, drop the case. Levi’s blood still boiled from it. Levi was his underling, his apprentice, hell even his friend, and he didn’t take too kindly to harm coming to his friends. He just hoped that crazy Hange hadn’t gone out to the scene on her own yet. Erwin had set the buddy-system rules in place for a reason.

Levi finished tying his favorite cravat and straightened his dress shirt and pants. He left in a relative hurry, knowing the science-obsessed idiot couldn’t wait much longer. He drove his car as quickly as the speed limit allowed as his GPS spouted directions. His eyes narrowed. The scenery looked vaguely familiar. If the raging fire up ahead wasn’t much of an indicator, Levi pulled his car to the curb and approached. Hange found him immediately, rambling about how the fire was the biggest since blah blah blah… Levi zoned out. Red and orange flames licked the starry sky, and the wail of sirens interrupted the silence. The firemen hosed down the apartment as quickly as they could, but the fire roared in resistance. Something about this place felt so familiar to the ravenette. “Hange, who is the owner of this house? Are they here? I can interview them first.”

Hange sobered up and nodded. “He’s right over there. Be nice, Levi,” she whispered, pointing in the direction of a blanket-covered figure. 

Levi took his notepad and pen from his pocket as he approached. “Were you the owner of this apartment?” he asked the shivering person. His eyes widened when the victim turned. “Eren?” 

 

~~Regular POV~~~

 

“Eren?” Levi breathed. The younger man’s sea green eyes were ringed in red, puffy skin. Wet trails coated his cheeks and his lower lip trembled. His nose was pink from the cold. He looked so young and broken, Levi’s heart ached for him.

Eren’s eyes went wide. “L-Levi? W-What are you d-doing here?” he hiccupped. He sniffled and prayed he didn’t look too awful.

Levi couldn’t find his voice for a moment. “I’m - uh - I’m here to report on the fire. It’s the biggest one in a while, and the authorities want me to investigate it to make sure it wasn’t related to any of our other cases or anything,” he answered.

Eren’s eyes fell to the ground as he nodded. “I’ll tell you what happened, but it won’t be much help. I got home from work and showered because I wanted to have a Netflix marathon. I had been waiting a full week since I completed my move, I used to live a few blocks away with my godfather, so I binge watched Breaking Bad. I recently got addicted to it. Anyway, I fell asleep and woke up when the smoke alarms went off. I was able to save a few really important things, but that was it. Everything else went up in flames.” A stray tear ran down his tan cheek.

Levi’s hand moved to wipe the tear away before falling back to his side. Touching like that was unprofessional. “I’m sorry for your losses.” He jotted a few things down on his notepad. “May I ask what you were able to save?”

“I saved this blanket that Mikasa, my mom, and my dad all stitched for my tenth birthday, a photo album from my childhood, and my mom’s necklace.” Eren could feel himself about to break down. “At least they were the things most important to me…”

Levi could hardly take this anymore. He wanted to hug the poor kid. “Where will you move now? Back with your godfather? Do your parents know?”

Eren sobbed and clapped a hand to his mouth, tears flowing freely now. “I don’t know what I’ll do…. Hannes moved all the way to Texas to care for his parents and my parents are… they’re dead.” A whimper slipped through his hand. “I have nowhere to go.”

Levi panicked, swallowing thickly. “W-Well can’t you live with Mikasa? You mentioned you know her and you work together.”

Eren shook his head. “She lives with Armin. They’re dating. I can’t intrude.”

Levi sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It was too early for these type of emotions. “I’ll let you crash at my place then. It’s only fair. You brought me into your home when I was drunk, so I should return the favor until you can find a new place.” Levi felt his stomach leap when Eren’s eyes filled with hope.

“Seriously? You’d do that for me?” Eren asked, gripping his blanket tighter around him. Levi nodded curtly, making Eren light up like a Christmas tree. “Thank you, Levi! I promise, I’ll earn my stay! I’ll cook, clean, I’ll even pay rent, I’ll -”

“No need, Eren. No rent. You don’t have to cook. Just help out cleaning… if you can clean to my standards,” Levi said. His monotone voice did nothing to damper Eren’s mood. If anything, he thanked Levi harder and more frequently. Levi prayed he wouldn’t come to regret his decision.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo hoo another chapter! This one I actually edited some, so hopefully there aren't any mistakes. This one may have some graphic material, so just watch out if you decide to read. Things are about to get interesting. Hope you enjoy!

Eren woke up with a scream, clutching his heart and flailing around. He sighed in relief. The fire had only been a dream. His stomach sank. This room was unfamiliar and his clothes smelled like smoke. He shrieked when the door flung open.

“Eren? What’s wrong?” Levi asked, actually sounding frantic. Eren’s brows went up. Concern sounded weird coming from Levi. 

The brunette blushed and sank further into the blankets. “N-Nothing… just a bad dream was all…” he whispered. His grip on the sheets tightened, and his eyes stung.

Levi’s eyes softened. “It’ll be okay, brat. At least you saved all your important things right?” His question was answered with a small nod. “That has to count for something.”

“Yeah… thanks for your help. Although to be honest, I didn’t peg you for the helping type.” A smile, ever so slight, found its way to Eren’s lips and warmed Levi’s heart. That mouth deserved to be smiling. 

Levi’s cheeks burned as he banished the thought from his mind with a wave of his hand. “No problem, brat. It’s repayment of my debt… although I’m sure you’re going to keep my liquor cabinet under tight lock and key,” he said.

“Absolutely. No more over-consumption. It’s not healthy. I don’t want to sound like an ungrateful guest, but I refuse to live with an alcoholic. My father was one, so I have a particular hatred for them. No offense,” Eren explained.

Levi shrugged. “I’ll manage, I’m sure. It is strange though, you hate alcoholism and yet you work in a bar.”

Eren cringed. “That’s only because my other career option didn’t work out. I hope to find another job soon. Mikasa is the only reason I have that job. She got me into good graces with the owner, Pixis,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. 

Levi hummed in acknowledgement and leaned against the door frame. He could relate. The only reason he had his job was because of his friendship with Erwin. Luckily Erwin liked him enough to give him a job when he needed it. The grey-eyed man snapped back to attention when he realized Eren was staring right at him. “What? Do I have shit on my face or something?”

A tinkling laughter erupted from Eren’s throat. “I asked you a question, silly, but you went Space Cadet on me. I asked if you had plans for today. I’m off work so I didn’t know if you had wanted to make plans or anything.”

“Well, I do have some work, mainly further investigate your house fire. There’s been a surge of gang violence in the city and it’s my job to get all the details. Not that the gangs would want anything to do with an innocent brat, but you never know.” Levi raised a brow when the tan boy paled significantly. “What is it with you and my job? Every time I bring it up, you look constipated… or like you have uncontrollable diarrhea.”

Eren swallowed hard and chewed his bottom lip. “Well, it’s not so much your job as what you investigate. The whole gang thing brings up bad memories,” he whispered.

“Spill it. You tell me your problems, I’ll tell you mine. I’ve never really told anyone shit, so you can trust me. For fuck’s sake, I even trust a brat like you for no fucking reason.”

Eren paused for a moment before nodding. Best to get it out now rather than letting it brew in his brain for a long time. “Alright, you might as well take a seat.” He patted the bed. “My life is a long, complicated story.”

Levi sat down. “Go ahead, brat. I’m all ears.”

Eren took a deep breath. Then he began. “I grew up in the countryside, Shiganshina District to be exact. My father, Grisha, was a local doctor and my mother, Carla, was a waitress before she became a stay-at-home mom. I actually knew Armin and Mikasa then. Armin was my neighbor and lived with his grandfather, and Mikasa lived with her parents a block away. Things were normal until Mikasa’s parents were killed; we were only seven at the time. The police claimed it was a city gang meddling outside of its territory. Mikasa lived with me for a while after that. My father disappeared for some time after my tenth birthday. It was so strange. We all assumed he needed time for work, what with being busy as a doctor. Then… then THAT day came.” Eren’s whole demeanor changed. His jaw tightened and his pretty eyes swam with emotions.

Levi didn’t know what came over him, but he found his hand rubbing Eren’s back. Since when did he comfort others? He let it go for now. It was obvious the brat needed some sort of support. How young was he anyway? He looked no older than nineteen with such a sad expression. If Levi admitted to having a heart, it would have broken.

“THAT day is the day my mother died along with nearly everyone else in our town. A gang raid, the first Shiganshina has ever known, broke out. Guns fired and killed people left and right in the crossfire. Innocents were being stabbed for the fun of it. Someone set our house on fire. We ran, but one of the gang members caught my mother. He killed her slowly while one of his goons held Mikasa and me down.” Eren paused to wipe the tears from his cheeks with a sniffle.

“He beat her until her bones into a powder before he slit her throat an inch at a time. Her blood sprayed everywhere because he slashed a major artery. I hope she died quickly. I never got to say a proper goodbye… I was always such a terrible child, causing her so much trouble. I miss her so much. Anyway, the gang member holding us let us go. Mikasa and I ran as fast as we could to escape. Armin had only escaped because his grandfather sacrificed himself to get him out. We grew up in an orphanage for a month before Hannes, my godfather, took all three of us in. One night, my father appeared again and lived with all of us. Every time he came home drunk as hell, reeking of alcohol. He began getting abusive, hitting me or shouting at Mikasa. Turns out he had made some bad deals or something with a city gang. I don’t know exactly what he was doing with them, but he would always ramble about ‘the Titans’ or something. I never really understood.

“I remember he even injected me with something around the time I turned fifteen. I have no idea what it was, but I was sick for weeks. It was some drug, I’m sure, but the doctors gave me a clean bill of health. But that’s pretty much it. Unless you want to hear about my high school years and up through now. I think that story should wait for another time. Too much at once.” Eren shifted on the bed to face Levi better. “Your turn to tell your entire life story.” A small laugh bubbled in his chest.

Levi sighed, taking all of Eren’s confessions in. How the hell did he do that so easily? Levi was sweating bullets just thinking about sharing. Fuck it, he decided. If Eren could do all that in one sitting after going through another traumatic house fire, he could talk about his past. “Alright, brat, listen up. First, I’m not a good person, so don’t look down on me too much.”

Eren smirked. “But Levi, I can’t help I’m already so much taller than you. I have to look down.” That earned him a hard punch to the arm. After a moment, Levi spoke.

“I was born in a really bad district in the city. It’s nickname was the Underground, it was so disgusting, the breeding ground for the scum of society. My mother was a prostitute. She didn’t want to be. Her name was Kuchel. She was disowned during her teen years and lived in the streets, eventually finding a way to make money. One of her better patrons got her pregnant with me. Unfortunately, he never returned to get to know me… although I’m not sure how unfortunate that really is. Anyway, she kept me and raised me as best she could with her ‘job’. We never got enough to eat, which is probably why I’m small today.

“I digress. When I was about five, she got really sick. There were no doctors to help her and she ended up wasting away. I was defenseless and starving. My estranged Uncle Kenny came one night and took me in, taught me how to fight and all that shit. He vanished when I proved that I could defend myself. I lived in the Underground for years, thieving and such. I had two friends, Farlan and Isabel, that helped. We never committed to a gang, which was so popular with other kids like us; instead we stole and fought our battles independently. We wanted more for ourselves, so we did all we could to save up money for community college. 

“Things began to improve, but only slightly. I met my boss, Erwin, at college. We became what I would consider friends. Shitty glasses Hange was there too. Farlan, Isabel, and I got part time jobs. A few weeks before graduation, the Titans made their first big move in the gang world. They killed people in mass amounts and Farlan and Isabel were among the casualties. I found their bodies in the alley beside our apartment with the Titans’ gang symbol carved into their foreheads. No one ever investigated further. The police and FBI alike did nothing. That’s when I turned to Erwin. He was starting his own investigation journalism firm with the intentions of digging into the stories the rest of the world swept under the rug. That’s basically my story. The end.” Levi shrugged and ran a hand through his hair.

Eren had listened the whole time with sympathetic eyes, knowing exactly the pain Levi felt. Levi and himself weren’t so different, really, coming from tragic childhoods. “I would tell you I’m sorry, but I always hated it when people said that to me… but I thought you should know that I would mean it if I did say it,” he whispered.

Levi smiled ever so slightly. “Thanks, brat. Same to you. I always hated it when people said that to me too. I don’t know why, but it just never felt real. They don’t know what I’ve gone through, so they can’t understand how I feel. It’s complicated I suppose.”

“I know what you mean, though. I know exactly what you’re trying to say.” Eren reached out, hand trembling, and took Levi’s hand. “Thank you for sharing with me.”

“Thanks to you too, brat. You didn’t have to, but I’m actually glad we did this show-and-tell shit. But you’re still a brat, just so we’re clear. You’re just one of the better brats,” Levi clarified, making Eren snort and roll his eyes. The two found themselves feeling lighter than they had beforehand, like the weight on their chests had been lifted and soothed.

Eren’s cheeks heated up when he realized he was still holding Levi’s hand. He pulled it away and cleared his throat. “Um… well I guess we can talk about what we want to do today then. Unless you’re working! I don’t want to keep you from your work!” He rubbed the back of his neck, ears turning pink.

Levi opened his mouth to answer when his phone went off. It was Hange, of course, to ruin the peace. He sighed and shot Eren an apologetic look. “Give me a minute, it’s the four-eyed freak.” He walked out of the room before answering. “What the hell do you want, Hange?” he hissed.

“Levi, we have another case on our hands. You’ll need to bring Eren in to sit down and talk with Erwin and me. The firemen came out with their final verdict on the house fire - arson. Someone purposely set Eren’s house on fire.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and kudos to let me know how I'm doing! They make my day and keep me motivated to keep pushing out chapters for all you lovely people!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long to get this out to you! Life... well, life is life and decides when I can and can't write. But summer is coming, which means I will be able to update more regularly! Woo hoo! Sorry this is unedited, please let me know if there are mistakes. Again, sorry, but here you are!

Levi cursed like a sailor, completely hanging up on Hange in the process. He was so absorbed in his plethora of swears, he didn’t notice Eren crack the door open.

“Levi? What happened?” Eren asked, looking at him with those big eyes that made Levi feel weak. Levi chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment in thought.

“They figured out why your house caught fire. Turns out you didn’t leave the stove on or anything… and it wasn’t any electrical problems,” he explained.

Eren furrowed his brows. “What do you mean? What was it then?”

“Arson.”

The answer hit Eren like a punch to the face. His eyes hardened and his fists balled. “Who did it?” ‘I’m going to kill them, I swear to God…’ He thought to himself.

“I shouldn’t say much more. I’ll find some clothes to lend you. I need to bring you to my office. We’ll brief you more there.” Levi noticed Eren’s glazed eyes. The poor kid had so much going on at once. Life was cruel. “Hey, Eren, it’ll be alright. I’ll get to the bottom of this, okay?” He rested a hand on Eren’s shoulder.

Eren stared into Levi’s intense eyes for a moment before nodding, praying his cheeks weren’t as pink as they felt. His heart even jumped at the use of his name rather than brat. “Thanks Levi.” His eyes fell to his toes. Was any of this real? How could this be the same rude man he’d met at the bar? Eren smiled to himself. So this must be what sober Levi was like, rough around the edges but a softy on the inside… at least relatively soft. Eren vowed never to tell Levi what he had just thought about. The older man would KILL him if he ever found out, not to mention what the implications would mean. Eren blushed heavily.

Levi watched as the brat went off into la-la-land. He wondered what Eren was thinking about. It was a bit unnerving, having those eyes focused right on him for the longest time. Levi shifted in his spot. Oh, was he tempted to smack him out of it, but that wasn’t socially acceptable. Not to mention it would be a shame to damage that pretty face… wait what? Levi blinked and noticed Eren’s cheeks flushing a deep crimson. “Brat? Did your brain short circuit or are you in need of a laxative?” he asked.

Eren’s eyes widened and he shook his head vigorously. “N-No, I’m fine!” Those eyes were looking right into his! “I-I’ll just be in the room waiting for a change of clothes… do you have a shower I could use? I smell like smoke.”

Levi narrowed his eyes at Eren before pointing to the door beside Eren’s guest room. “There. Towels for your body are in the closet.” He pointed to a door across from the bathroom. “Everything else you need should be in there. I’ll leave clothes in your room.” He walked back to his room to find something suitable. It wouldn’t be easy considering Eren had at least five inches on him, but at least their physiques were relatively similar. It would have been impossible to find clothes if Eren was some sort of hulk. He dug around in his closet before he found a pair of his larger button-up shirts and pants. Eren could roll up the sleeves and he could cover the pant legs in a pair of boots. Luckily Erwin had left a pair after a late worknight, and Levi had never returned them. Levi gathered the clothes and carried them to Eren’s room, steam escaping under the bathroom door. He smirked to himself. Eren would come out smelling like his soaps. Wait, why was he smiling about that? “Stupid brat…” he mumbled as he laid everything out after making the guest bed. As always, he was a neat freak.

Once he finished in Eren’s room, he went to the kitchen to start up his morning tea. He needed it if Hange wanted him to be pleasant. As it brewed, he went back and changed into his suit and cravat, having showered the night before. He sat in the kitchen and waited for his tea to brew when he heard a squeak in the hallway along with muffled sounds. His eyebrows furrowed. What on Earth was the brat doing? Levi stood and walked back the hallway to be faced with a sight that would sear itself into his mind. Eren, water dripping down his tanned skin and body, stood in his hallway covered only in a hand towel. He was reaching in the towel closet, most likely searching for a real towel. Levi swallowed hard and tried not to stare too hard.

“Eren, what the actual fuck?”

 

~~~Eren’s POV~~~

 

As soon as Levi left, Eren bolted into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. That was a close one. Eren felt like Levi had read his thoughts, but that couldn’t be possible… could it? He prayed not. He stripped from his clothes and hopped into the shower. The warm spray earned a hum from him, tense muscles relaxing at last. He needed this after everything that had happened, especially with the shit storm coming up. Moments like these kept him sane. He scrubbed his hair and body with the sweet smelling shampoo and soap. So this was why Levi smelled like he did. He had gotten a hint of it this morning, but it had been faint, barely noticeable. The smell of the soap in the air was definitely the stronger form of what he had been smelling. It was good, really good in Eren’s opinion.

Once he had rinsed himself to the point of smelling solely like Levi’s soap, Eren turned off the water and shook his head a bit like a dog to dry it some. He stepped out onto the hand towel he left on the floor. “Shit…” he cursed. In his rush, he had forgotten to grab a towel to dry off with. He remembered Levi saying the towels were in the closet across the hall. Eren huffed and decided he needed to risk it. He grabbed a hand towel and wrapped it around himself as best he could.

“This is going to be so bad…” he mumbled as he cracked the door open. Eren looked both ways to make sure Levi wasn’t anywhere. When the coast was clear, he exited the bathroom and opened the closet. He held the hand towel around him tightly. Being naked in a host’s hallway was a dangerous gamble. The remaining towels were the ones on the top shelves. Eren’s feet squeaked on the wood floors when he reached up, and he cursed himself for making so much noise.

“Eren, what the actual fuck?”

~~~Regular POV~~~

Eren yelped and slipped, managing to cling to the towel covering him as he fell on his bare ass. He paled and then flushed red all at once. “L-Look away! Don’t look!” he yelled. If Eren didn’t know better, he’d say he saw a blush on Levi’s cheeks as he turned abruptly. “I was trying to get a towel.”

“No shit, Sherlock, but why were you doing it NAKED in my hallway? You could have called me and asked for help,” Levi said

Eren chewed his lip. He hadn’t even thought about that. “Umm… I have a bad track record with thinking things out before I do them,” he admitted.

Levi ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “Jesus, kid, no kidding. Just get your bare ass off my floor and get a towel. You’re going to make us late.”

Eren wasted no time in hopping up and snagging a towel, wrapping it around himself and slipping into his room. By some stroke of luck, he didn’t bump into Levi in the process. He sank to the floor with a groan once the door was shut. “Way to go, Eren. Great first impression. This is why you don’t have roommates.”

Levi shook his head outside. “That kid is going to be the death of me,” he muttered. The sight of Eren replayed over and over in his head, making him feel like an old pervert. He clapped his face and went to check on his tea. He could use a nice cup right about now. Old habits died hard, a proven when Levi reached for his liquor cabinet. Eren wouldn’t notice if he put just a smidge in his tea, right?

“Levi, what are you doing?”

Wrong. Levi froze and looked back over his shoulder. “Nothing~” he drawled out, retracting his hand from the cabinet. His eyes went wide when Eren’s hand clasped his own and spun him around.

“You’re lying to me, Levi,” Eren muttered. “What did I say about alcohol?”

“You’re in my fucking house, brat. I can drink if I want to in my own home.” Levi scowled up at the brunette.

Eren’s own eyes narrowed. “I never said you couldn’t drink. But you were planning to get drunk, weren’t you? Just quickly before work?”

Levi paled visibly, an impossible feat with his skin tone. Eren was right. Drinking wasn’t just about tasting and enjoying for him. It meant erasing his mind and pushing away problems to deal with later.

Eren could see the realization in his face. “No more, Levi. I don’t want to see you spiral down the same path as my father. Okay?” He cupped Levi’s cheeks between his hands.

Levi stared into those caring sea green eyes and nodded. A moment later, he jerked away. He didn’t like feeling as exposed as he just had. Exposure meant pain, and pain meant liquor. “I’ll do my best, brat, but I’ll need your help.”

Eren couldn’t help but smile to himself. Levi wasn’t the hardass he made himself out to be. It was pretty endearing, actually. He couldn’t deny it anymore. It may be too soon to put labels on anything, but he had a crush on Levi. There was just something there that made his heart race. He let thoughts about Levi dance around in his head as they walked out to Levi’s car. He couldn’t help it! He just wanted to hug Levi and make that permanent scowl on his face go away.

Levi could see how spaced out Eren was as they left the apartment. He thought it was because of the interview he was about to have. Finding out that someone purposely burned your house down was a bitter pill to swallow, after all. But after observing Eren’s expression, Levi decided Eren was not worrying himself to death. His expression was too dreamy for that.

‘The hell is wrong with him? Did I say something weird? I swear this kid is trying to get me to react…’ Levi thought to himself. ‘But he looks kind of cute… No! Unprofessional, Levi. You are investigating the arson of his house and providing him a place to stay in the meantime, nothing more, nothing less.’

The rest of the trip passed by in silence. Hange pranced out of the building and pressed her cheek to the glass. “You’re both here!” she squealed, grinning wildly. Eren recoiled from the window, back pressed against the arm of Levi’s chair. Levi rolled his eyes and flicked her the finger as he got out of his car.

“Keep your filthy hands off my windows, four eyes,” he snarled. 

Hange only cackled and opened Eren’s door. “Come on out, sweet thing! Let me get a good look at you!” She tugged Eren out of the car. Eren yelped and took his arm from her, straightening his clothes as Hange stalked around him. “Oh, he’s just your type, Levi! Tall, dark, and hella handsome!”

“Shitty glasses, PLEASE focus, damn it. We are investigating the arson of Eren’s apartment. Be more sensitive of his situation instead of getting into your romantic fantasies.” Levi took Eren by the sleeve of his coat to show him inside. Hange smirked when she saw the blush dusting both men’s cheeks. Perhaps later she could set them up, after all the seriousness was overrated.

Eren took in the building with wide eyes and parted lips. The floor glistened, made of pristine marble. A glass staircase spiraled up in the center of the waiting room area. His eyes settled on the woman at the reception desk. “Annie?! Is that you?!”

The blue eyed woman lifted her head to glare at the person calling her name, no doubt Reiner coming just to harass her, but was surprised to see someone she hadn’t in years. “Eren? Holy shit, it is you…” she said.

“Yeah, long time, no see, Leonhart. When did we last see each other? High school graduation?” Eren asked, resting his elbows on the counter. Annie nodded. Eren smirked. “Is Bertolt still hanging around you? What was his last name? Some vacuum… Hoover? And his buddy Reiner?”

“Yeah, Bertolt Hoover and Reiner Braun. They both work here too. You just missed them. What are you here for?” Annie asked, raising an eyebrow. Eren opened his mouth to speak, but Levi butted in.

“We can’t talk about his case right now. Thanks for the concern, but I’ll take over from here, Leonhart.” Levi steered Eren away to the elevator, where Hange held the doors open.

“Who was that, Eren? An old love interest?” Hange asked.

Eren snorted loudly. “Hell no! Annie was a high school friend. She taught me some martial arts back in the day to fight off the bullies, but that’s all. Besides, I don’t swing that way,” he said confidently.

Hange’s lips curled at the edges. “Good! Levi doesn’t either. In fact-”

“Glasses, shut your fucking mouth. Now,” Levi snapped. Hange laughed under her breath, and Eren shuffled his feet. Talk about awkward. You could cut the tension with a knife! The elevator dinged and opened to release the two men, who all but jumped out of the cramped space.

“Hope you’re excited to meet Irwin, Eren! I can’t wait to tell you all we know…” Hange drifted off, realizing how terrible a situation Eren was in.

Eren gave her a small smile despite it all. “Well, I trust you all to find out what happened. I saved everything of value, so I’m not too hung over my apartment burning… except for the hole in my wallet from wasted rent,” he muttered. “I saved through freshman year for that rent money.”

“I said you don’t have to worry about paying rent now, brat. Hell, I’ll even pay back however much you lost,” Levi said. His eyebrows furrowed. Wait, he would? Why on Earth would he do that? Oh well, he had the money for it. Might as well use the money for something good anyway.

“No.” Came Eren’s reply. “I don’t want to be a charity case.”

That hit Levi like a wall. Well then! Well, Levi had to respect that. It reminded him of himself, working to earn every penny he made. No handouts. He wanted to actually own, with his own blood, sweat, and tears, what he bought. “So you won’t even accept a little help? I could make it like a loan.”

Eren shook his head. “Thanks for the offer, but I would just like to focus on paying you some sort of rent each month. I have a job, so I can do it.”

“Focus on and finish your studies first, kid. I know you’re in college, I can see it in your face. Use your money to pay that off, then we can talk about rent. I make plenty enough to take care of an entire horde of brats.” Levi pushed open the door.

A blonde man spun around in his chair. “I’ve never heard Levi sound so noble before. I assume it’s because of you. Eren Yeager, I take it? I am Irwin Smith, executive of Recon Corps. Investigative Journalism Firm, or just the Scouts for short.” He stood and shook Eren’s hand. 

“Nice to meet you, sir. And thank you for taking up my case,” Eren muttered.

Irwin smiled softly. “Anything for the son of Grisha Yeager.”

Eren blinked. “Y-You knew my father?”

“He was my first case when I started this firm. Take a seat and I’ll tell you. Perhaps it will provide leads into your case,” Irwin gestured to the cluster of chairs around his desk. Everyone took and seat before Irwin continued.

“Years ago, your father came to me in a drunken haze. He did manage to tell me about the Titans forcing him to work. Intrigued, I pursued his claims. Even Levi--” he broke off at the sight of Levi’s dark look.

It didn’t matter. It clicked in Eren’s head. “Levi? You knew my father? Seriously? Why didn’t you say something?” he asked, throat constricting.

Levi opened his mouth to say something but shut it just as quickly. He shrugged, eyeing the floor.

“Levi…” Hange murmured in hopes of making him speak. Levi turned to glare at her.

“Why the fuck are you all attacking me now? How was I supposed to know it was the same Grisha Yeager? Sorry I’m not perfect!” he snapped. He crossed his arms and stared at the photograph on the wall. Everyone fell silent for a moment. Eren sighed and reached out to rest a hand on Levi’s arm. Levi jolted slightly.

“I’m sorry, Levi. It doesn’t matter now anyway. He’s been dead for years,” Eren whispered. He gave a smile and patted Levi’s arm. Levi met his sea green eyes and nodded. They could talk about it later. Eren grinned wider and refocused on Irwin.

Irwin cleared his throat. “Anyway, perhaps Grisha’s ties to gangs is what triggered this attack on you. The details of the fire, as I’m sure Hange mentioned, show evidence of arson. We are still investigating to find any gang correlation, but it is possible. Until we are sure, we want you under 24/7 supervision. I’ve already called your workplace and explained the situation. Your schooling will continue online. It will be best for you to stay with Levi for the time being.”

Eren absorbed all of this. “So I can’t work? Or go to school? Because… a bounty might be on my head?”

“Mmm pretty much,” Hange nodded. Eren furrowed his brows.

“Don’t worry about it, brat, you’ll be staying at my apartment until this is all sorted out,” Levi said.

“Oh joy…” Eren mumbled under his breath. “I'm sure you'll love protecting me.”

Levi glared. “Shut it, brat or I'll make you run laps or something.”

That made Eren's temper flare. Who the fuck makes people run laps? As if… he took a breath and stood, thanking Irwin and Hange before he left with Levi on his heels.

Levi felt pretty smug with himself. Eren's face was priceless when he threatened to make him run laps. He nodded to Hange and Irwin before he followed the brat out. He could see the tense muscles beneath Eren's shirt. The brat was stressed. Levi stared for a while to figure out how to help the poor kid. Life was cruel to them both.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I'm back! I honestly lost motivation for a while and wasn't going to continue this fic, but then I thought that I should because I always get disappointed when I'm left hanging. It's been nearly a year! Holy crap! Goes to show how life gives you the finger when you make plans! Anyway, here's the new chapter, I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading!

“Hey, you look like you're walking with a stick up your ass,” Levi commented. He mentally face-palmed. So much for trying to ease the brat’s mind. 

Eren stopped walking, and Levi nearly walked into him. “Levi… please… just don't talk right now.”

Levi’s brows rose. “Did I do something?” he asked. Had his comment about laps really pissed Eren off that much?

“No, it’s just overwhelming. My life won't be the same,” Eren sighed and ran a hand over his face. “But you did tell me to run laps, so I guess I lied.”

“Hey, kid, I was only kidding, I --” Levi paused when a soft sound met his ears. He crossed his arms. “Are you fucking laughing?”

Eren turned around with a huge, tired grin. “Maybe.”

“You little piece of shit,” Levi frowned. “Now I WILL make you run laps.” A slight smirk graced his lips. Eren laughed outright and nodded.

“Do it! I dare you, old man,” he nudged the raven. Levi only growled and rolled his eyes. Together the two walked to a cafe to grab some breakfast.

“What do you want, brat? I’m buying.” Levi pulled out his wallet.

“You don’t have t-”

“Shut it, I want to. Now order, shithead,” Levi gestured to the cashier. Eren flushed and ordered a muffin and some herbal tea, ignoring how Levi grumbled something about his choices behind him. Levi ordered a bowl of soup and some Earl Grey tea before he grabbed some wipes for wiping down the table. Eren smirked a bit and sat down, shaking his head.

“You're an odd man, Levi,” he said. “A very odd man.”

Levi shrugged as he sat across from Eren. “Says you.”

Eren only snorted and looked up as their order came. He stared off into space as his nibbled his muffin, jumping when Levi snapped his fingers in his face. The raven-haired man smirked and ate his soup.

“So, kid, how do you feel about being part of the investigation? You deserve answers just as much as anyone. I’d let you be my… assistant of sorts. Then you wouldn’t have to work at the bar. It’ll pay well, and you’ll be of better use to me at my apartment than trying to buy your own. Plus it fits into Irwin’s whole ‘witness protection program’ shit,” Levi said.

Eren’s heart thrummed in his chest. “Me? Be a part of an investigation AND get paid better than my shit bartending job? Count me in!” He clapped his hands together with a grin. Levi snorted at him and sipped his tea.

“Good, we start your official ‘internship’ tomorrow. I’ll teach you the basics. You mentioned doing martial arts in school, are you still up to snuff?” Levi raised a brow.

“Damn straight I am. I still practice in college. Got a silver metal last month in competition.” Eren puffed his chest proudly.

“Only silver? And you think you can take on a pro like me?” Levi snorted. Eren gasped in indignation and threw a muffin chunk across the table. Levi rolled his eyes and finished off his tea. “Let’s go, brat. We can go shopping to get you some clothes. No buts, we’ll go to a thrift store if that will make you more comfortable.” He waved his finger when he saw Eren almost protest.

“Fine. I suppose I can live with that. Let’s go.” He inhaled the remainder of his muffin and tea and stood. He followed Levi out the door. Together, they made their way to the nearest thrift store, the one with fashion at least decent in Levi’s humble opinion.

Levi watched as Eren browsed the clothing. He roamed around and picked out an outfit. He gazed at it for a while and nodded. He could see Eren in something simple like this. Casual jeans, a nice, tight fitting t-shirt. Levi could see it very well. The jeans would hug Eren’s nice ass, and the shirt would highlight the lean but strong muscle in his abs, chest and biceps… wait, what? Levi shook his head and walked over to Eren. “Hey, try this on.”

Eren raised a brow. “You want me to model for you?” A wicked smirk grew on his lips. “First, you stared so hard when I licked that candy cane, now you want me to model clothes for you. Kinky.” He winked.

Levi cussed softly when he felt his face heat up. Damn brat knew just how to push his buttons. “Fuck off, brat, and try on the damn clothes.” He held them out. Eren chuckled and took the clothes into the changing room.

~~~Levi’s POV~~~

Damn brat, knowing exactly how to push Levi’s buttons. Levi sat in a chair outside the changing room to wait for Eren to come out. He bounced his foot, anxious to see what Eren looked like in the clothes he picked. Sure, Eren would look better in nothing at all, but… woah! Levi gasped and shook his head to clear his mind. Damn, those thoughts were waayyy too dangerous! Oh, what he wouldn’t do for a drink right about now. A nice hard drink… speaking of hard, Eren chose that moment to walk out of the changing room looking like the sex-appeal god himself.

“I feel like these are too tight-fitting… Like there is no room at all…” Eren posed a bit, spinning in front of the mirror.

Levi could barely pick his jaw off the floor. Tight clothes suited Eren’s figure well, really well. Hot damn! Levi could see it now, Eren dancing in a club, grinding. Sweat drips down his deliciously tanned skin and off of his cocoa hair. His body pulses to the beat and damn how Levi would grab those hips… Levi cleared his throat and shifted in his seat.

“It looks good, brat. Makes you look sexier … I mean! Shit, sweatier! You look sweatier, it’s so tight… uh.” Levi wanted to slap himself in the face. This was all Hange’s fault, completely outing him to the overconfident brat and bringing up all those naughty ideas. Fucked up, this all was, fucked up indeed. He snapped out of his mental berating when he heard Eren laugh that adorable laugh of his.

“Oh, Levi, you can say I’m sexy if you want. No need to hide it. Be honest with yourself.” Eren took his lip between his teeth and tugged it. Levi swallowed as he watched. If that weren’t the hottest thing, he didn’t know what was. Damn it, he really was fucked. Totally fucked… but not in the way he wanted to be… wait, what? No, no, Levi, bad thoughts, bad thoughts. Oh fuck…

Bad thoughts indeed. Eren started stepping closer, leaning in to Levi. Levi could swear he felt a cold sweat run down his spine. 

“Anything else you want to see me try on? Anything at all?” Eren breathed hotly into Levi’s ear. Levi shuddered. If he were any younger, his dick would have poked a hole straight through his jeans already. Eren knew how to push his buttons alright, no denying that. Two could play at this game.

“Alright, Mr. Confidence, go try on that lacy number over there, the one will all the straps.” Levi crossed his arms over his chest with a smirk. He played hard, and he played to win.

~~~Eren’s POV~~~

The moment a flushed Levi asked Eren to try on clothes, Eren knew he had to see how red he could make his face. There was no denying Eren already thought Levi was attractive, but Hange confirming that Levi might be interested definitely kicked things up a notch. After all Eren had just gone through, why not fool around a bit and enjoy himself a little. What better way to have a good time than to flirt with an emotionally constipated shorty like Levi? 

Eren changed into the clothes and stepped out, acting innocent for a bit to listen to Levi flounder. The moment Levi said sexy, Eren pounced. He laughed his most seductive laugh and turned to look at Levi.

“Oh Levi, you can say I’m sexy if you want. No need to hide it. Be honest with yourself.” Eren took his lip between his teeth and tugged gently, a move he had perfected in college to bring any man to his knees. He watched Levi’s Adam’s apple bob in his pale throat, and Eren grinned. Bingo. He took slow steps towards the older man like a predator creeping up on his prey. He leaned in closely, a hair’s breadth away from Levi’s ear.

“Anything else you want me to try on? Anything at all?” He saw Levi shudder and knew he had him hook, line, and sinker. Hell yes, plan was working. Eren couldn’t wait to see how far Levi could be pushed before he snapped in flustered, sexual frustration. Eren’s growing smirk grew wider when Levi told him to put on the strappy, lacy number.

“Yes sir.” He grabbed it and walked back into the changing room. The number was a bit tight, but it highlighted his features nicely. The lace curved around his ass and thighs and brought out an exotic feminine beauty Eren rarely saw in himself, a part he loved experimenting with. The corset bra was a bit much, but it added to that not-quite-dominatrix look in an attractive way. Levi was going to shit himself.

“Ready!” Eren stepped a single leg out, flexing the muscle. He heard Levi whistle sarcastically. Oh just you wait, Mr. Hot-Shot Journalist. Eren continued inching his body out bit by bit until he was posed perfectly for Levi’s satisfaction. This was too easy, Ymir had made him do worse in truth or dare. “You like?”

~~~Levi’s POV~~~

The world stopped spinning the moment Levi laid eyes on Eren in that outfit, and his heart was gone the next. Levi had to admit, Eren was the most beautiful man he had ever laid eyes on. His first thought was “damn, Eren doesn’t seem nearly as shy as he did this morning,” and his next was “damn, I want him.” Before he realized, he was on his feet and walking towards Eren.

“Levi?” Eren backed up against the wall, having been pushed back into the changing room.

Levi rested his hand on the wall, barely able to catch a breath. He leaned in close, pressing his body to Eren’s and feeling the other man’s warmth. Eren shivered against him, and that started a purr in Levi’s chest. He leaned in more, lips brushing gently against Eren’s ear. He swore Eren’s gasp was the most arousing sound he had heard in that moment. Levi smirked.

“Got you back, you tease.”


End file.
